$10.6 M for safer Sunshine Coast roads

SunshineCoast motorists will benefit from speed and red light camera fines with local roads receiving a record $10.67 million road safety makeover, Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Paul Lucas, announced today.

“15 SunshineCoast projects are among 77 high priority road safety initiatives to share in more than $46 million statewide under the Beattie Government’s Safer Roads Sooner program.

“It puts fines collected from motorists for speed and red light camera offences back into road safety to save lives,” Mr Lucas said.

Safer Roads Sooner projects on the SunshineCoast include:

·$350,000 in 2008-09 for intersection improvements at Nicklin Way/Beerburrum Street in CaloundraCity. Works involve upgrading signals and extending right-turn lane.

·$120,000 in 2008-09 for roundabout resurfacing on Daniel Street/Caloundra Road in CaloundraCity.

·$2m in 2008-09 for safety improvements on Tin Can Bay Road in Cooloola Shire. Works involve improving right turn at Rainbow Beach Road intersection, shoulder widening and sealing, and removing roadside hazards.

·$85,000 in 2008-09 for a guardrail on the Nambour-Mapleton Road in Maroochy Shire.

·$1m in 2008-09 for safety improvements on Brisbane-Woodford Road at Mt Mee in Caboolture Shire. Works involve sealing and widening shoulders, removing roadside hazards and reconstructing the vertical curve by trimming the crest.

·$350,000 in 2008-09 for intersection improvements for Deception Bay Road/Baily Road in Caboolture Shire. Works involve modifying signals and lengthening right-turn lane.

·$430,000 in 2008-09 for intersection improvements for King Sreet/Smiths Road in Caboolture Shire. Works involve extending right-turn lane and improving traffic signals.

·$290,000 over two years from 2007-08 for safety improvements on Eumundi-Kenilworth Road in Maroochy Shire. Works involve improving road markings and installing signs.

·$1.5m in 2008-09 for safety improvements on the D'Aguilar Highway in Caboolture Shire. Works involve shoulder sealing, improving road markings, replacing existing guardrail, removing roadside hazards, installing edge lines.

·$150,000 over two years from 2007-08 for safety improvements on the Kilcoy-Murgon Road in Kilcoy. Works involve upgrading signage, improving road markings and installing advisory speed warning devices.

·$500,000 in 2008-09 for safety improvements on Steve Irwin Way in Caboolture Shire. Works involve improving road markings and providing non-skid surface .

·$2m in 2008-09 for safety improvements for the Sunshine Motorway in Maroochy Shire. Works involve installing a median barrier.

·$400,000 in 2008-09 for intersection improvements for Pacific Terrace/Maroochdore-Mooloolaba Road in Maroochy Shire. Works involve extending the right-turn lane and upgrading signals.

·$1.5m in 2008-09 for safety improvements on Kilcoy-Beerwah Road in CaloundraCity. Works involve sealing shoulders, providing a right-turn lane into PeachesterSchool, installing a pedestrian refuge, installing edge lines and improving warning signs and road markings.

261 safety projects in total have been approved since 2005 by the Safer Roads Sooner Ministerial Advisory Committee chaired by Parliamentary secretary for Main Roads, Andrew McNamara.

Professor Mary Sheehan from Queensland University of Technology's accident research group, CARRS-Q and the RACQ are among the committee’s panel of road safety experts and key decision makers.

“To qualify for a share of the more than $46 million in funding, projects must have clear potential to help reduce the road toll.

“We’ve targeted projects which will make the biggest impact on road safety,” Mr McNamara said.

Mr Lucas said the Safer Roads Sooner strategy aims to reduce Queensland's road toll through smart targeted investment in better road infrastructure.

“The money we receive in fines from motorists who speed and run red lights is being spent where it can do the most good – saving lives and debilitating injuries on Queensland roads.

“We’re putting the proceeds of traffic fines to work on building safer roads.

“It’s a sound investment in the state’s future,” Mr Lucas said